Results 741-760 of 4,905 for speaker:Diarmuid Wilson

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: It is piecemeal.

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: What about the 20 seats?

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: What about the 20 seats mentioned in the Fine Gael manifesto?

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: With respect, Senator, the people will not be given the opportunity-----

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: -----to reduce the number of Deputies because there will not be a referendum.

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: This is the soft option.

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: "(2B) The provisions of subsection (2A) shall not apply where an election is due either— (a) within nine months of Local and European elections, or (b) within nine months of the date upon which Dáil Éireann must be dissolved, pursuant to the provisions of section 33 of the Electoral Act 1992, provided...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: That is very reasonable.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed). (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: I accept the Minister's point. Nevertheless, the holding of a by-election a short time before a general, local or European election represents an unfortunate waste of money and there should be some reasonable attempt to address that in the Bill. I will withdraw the amendment, but I reserve the right to resubmit it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed). (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, before section 3, to insert the following new section: "3.—Section 6 (amended by section 9 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009) of the Act of 1997 is amended by inserting the following subsection after subsection (1): "(1A) Prior to the publication of the report referred to in subsection (1) the Constituency Commission shall produce an interim report...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: With the help of north Tipperary.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: That is a very important point and has been eloquently headlined by my colleague. I will not discuss it in great detail. I understand the membership of the commission will comprise a judge who will chair it, the Clerk of the Seanad, the Clerk of the Dáil, the Ombudsman and the Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Could the Minister of...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil]: Second Stage (26 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: May I share time with Senator Mooney?

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil]: Second Stage (26 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: Or four minutes, but I was never great at maths. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Hogan, to the House. He must be commended for being one of the few Ministers who attends this Chamber. I thank him, as it is good to see.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil]: Second Stage (26 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: He is usually in good humour, even when we point out where is he wrong on particular issues. Generally, we welcome the Bill. There are 49 sections in it so I will be brief. In Part 3 on air pollution, does that apply to people burning peat, turf and sticks in rural areas? That is what many of them depend on because of the price of fuel. I understand the Minister's approach to providing for...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: The Minister clarified the position in his response on Second Stage. Our concern was that turf, peat and sticks, which are primarily used in country areas, would be subject to the levy. The Minister clarified the position so I am happy not to move the amendment.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: I agree with my colleagues, Senators Ó Domhnaill and Ó Clochartaigh. Raising the ceiling to 70 cent means this could become a stealth tax down the road and lose its current effect. The measure is currently very useful. Senator Harte indicated that the only plastic bags we come across in the ditches around my county are those from Asda and other Northern Irish shops. I welcome the...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: On a point of information, we did not table any amendments in the Dáil.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Dáil] : Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Jul 2011)

Diarmuid Wilson: Does the Minister agree that he is giving people an incentive to dump waste in rural areas because they will not be able to afford to bring it to landfill sites? There is already a major problem in respect of people dumping rubbish illegally throughout the country. What is proposed will only encourage an increase in such behaviour. That must be borne in mind in the context of the increases...